3 Papa's Pizza stores burn in past month

DETROIT - The owner of Papa's Pizza is asking for help finding who may have destroyed two stores and attempted to destroy a third.

The first fire happened Jan. 29 at a store on West 8 Mile Road in Farmington Hills, right before the Super Bowl when pizza's were in big demand.

Then, just five days later, a second store burned to the ground on Van Dyke Avenue on Detroit's east side. Five days after that, the 3rd store burned on Grand River Avenue.

The owner is offering a $20,000 reward and Crime Stoppers is adding another $1,000 reward to anyone with information leading to an arrest.

Surveillance video from the 8 Mile Road store fire shows a car at 3 a.m. driving to the back of the building out of camera range. Then, smoke surrounds the camera. The car backs up and drives away. A neighbor calls 911 and a quick reply from Detroit firefighters saves that store.

The family started in 2000 with only one store and has grown to 15 throughout Metro Detroit. Three more stores are being built. The owner says Detroit is one of the hottest markets for pizza and competition is tough.

He is asking anyone with information to come forward.

Tips to Crime Stoppers can be anonymous and the number is 800-SPEAK-UP.

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